your eyes, your lips, your fingertips
by splendidlyimperfect
Summary: The new guy at the coffee shop rubs Natsu the wrong way - he's antisocial and withdrawn and just plain weird. But irritation quickly turns to curiosity, and Natsu decides to figure out exactly what's going on. / Written for Gratsu Week 2k18 Day 6, Prompt: Secrets
1. Chapter 1

"He's so _weird."_

Natsu lost control of a stack of coffee cups and swore, stumbling to collect them all and push them up against the bar. Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, busy brushing coffee grounds into the garbage bin.

"We serve lots of weird people," she reminded him, running the cloth in the sink and wringing it out. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"Him," Natsu hissed, gesturing across the café. A boy around the same age as them sat at a table against the back wall, laptop open in front of him, fingers flying across the keys. "He never orders at the till. Who orders on their phone and then _stays_ in the café? Someone who is _wildly_ antisocial, that's who."

"Oh, leave him alone," Lucy said, swatting Natsu's arm with her damp dishcloth. "Not everyone starts up a conversation with literally everyone they see." She gave him a knowing look and he sighed. "Why does that bother you, anyway?"

"I dunno," Natsu admitted. "Just... what kind of name is _Gray?_ And he never even says anything when he picks up his coffee."

"Neither does 'venti six-shots-of-espresso-red eye,'" Lucy reminded him. Natsu shivered, envisioning the tall, dark-eyed man who came in every day at precisely 6:54 a.m., snatched his coffee from the counter, then fled back into the early morning without saying a word.

"Okay but _that_ guy gives me the creeps," Natsu argued. Someone came to the till and he popped over, taking their order cheerfully and doodling a quick picture on the side of their cup before passing it to Lucy.

"So _he_ doesn't give you the creeps, then," she said, nodding at the boy in the corner and giving Natsu a knowing smile that he steadfastly ignored. Natsu looked over at the boy again, who was staring at his laptop screen intently. He must have felt Natsu's curious gaze on him because he glanced up briefly, catching Natsu's eyes. A startled expression crossed his face and he hurriedly looked back at his computer. "I think you _liiiiiike_ him."

"Luce!" Natsu protested, lowering his voice and glancing back at the boy, who was now completely absorbed in his work. "I don't... he's not..." He felt his cheeks growing hot and he looked at the ground, kicking a few stray coffee beans under the counter. "I mean yeah, he's cute, whatever. He's still weird, though."

"Mhmm," Lucy said knowingly, leaning back against the counter. "Whatever you say."

* * *

 _* Gray *_

 _Gr Americano_  
 _4 shots_  
 _Extra Hot_

Natsu blinked at the mobile order machine, peeling the sticker off and reaching for the appropriate cup while stifling a yawn. He was exhausted – instead of heading to bed last night, he'd let his roommate Sting convince him to sneak around campus playing Pokémon Go. Even after six shots of espresso, two hours of sleep wasn't the best idea.

He started pulling the shots for the drink, sleep-addled brain finally slamming back into wakefulness when he realized that it was the cute boy's order.

Natsu glanced around the café quickly – nobody else was here. A few of the regulars had been waiting when he'd opened the doors, but they'd quickly left for their respective jobs. Which meant he'd be alone in the café with the cute guy - Gray - until Lucy got here in half an hour. Natsu tipped the shots into the cup and tapped his fingers against the bar nervously.

Seven agonizing minutes went by before the door chimed, a flurry of snow pushing Gray through the entrance. His dark hair was full of snowflakes that he shook out hurriedly, and he stomped his boots on the front mat. Then he looked up and caught Natsu's eyes.

"Hey." Natsu gave him a small smile and a shy wave. Gray's eyes widened and he glanced around the store nervously. When he looked back at Natsu he gave him a shy nod, raising his hand and scooting toward the counter to grab his drink.

"Thanks," he said, voice thick – it sounded like he had some sort of accent. British, maybe? He quickly made his way to a table in the corner, setting himself up so his back was against the wall and opening his laptop. He looked up again and gave Natsu another uncertain smile, then took a sip of his coffee and dove into his work.

 _Well,_ Natsu thought. _That could have gone much worse._

* * *

When Gray's order came in again several days later, Natsu grabbed it before Lucy could reach the sticker, whipping out a sharpie and doodling on the cup. He steadfastly ignored the look she gave him as he sketched a winter scene, complete with elaborate snowflakes.

When Gray walked in the door several minutes later, wrapped in a well-cut wool coat and deep blue scarf, Natsu immediately regretted the decision. Embarrassment brought redness to his cheeks and he slipped into the back room as Gray moved up to grab the coffee. What had he been thinking?

"He liked it," Lucy said a few minutes later, slipping into the back to grab more cups. Natsu groaned and peeked around the corner. Gray was sitting in his usual spot, but instead of staring at his laptop he was turning the cup around in his hands with a small smile on his face. "You should ask him out."

When Gray finally left several hours later, Natsu still hadn't worked up the courage to talk to him. He sighed as he watched Gray leave the café, then jumped as Lucy poked him.

"Here," she said, grinning and handing him a napkin. Natsu frowned and glanced down at the neat, slanted writing. _Thanks for the picture, I like the snowflakes. -Gray_

* * *

It became a routine. Gray's order would pop up, Natsu would draw something new and fun on his cup, and Gray would write him a note before he left. Uncertain smiles became silly grins, and embarrassed blushes turned to unabashed eye contact. Yet they still never spoke to each other. At first it was shyness, but after a while it turned into something like habit. Natsu was comfortable in this bubble they'd made, and he didn't want to pop it with careless words.

"You're going to have to talk to him eventually," Lucy said, wiping down the counters as the last of the regulars filed out of the café. It had now been two months of her nudging Natsu to ask Gray on a date, and two months of Nastu stammering and blushing and avoiding the subject.

"We do talk," Natsu insisted weakly. "He says 'thanks,' and I say 'no problem.' Full conversation."

"You're an idiot," Lucy said fondly, poking him in the ribs and heading to take out the garbage.

* * *

"How's your day going?" Natsu's stomach was roiling but he managed to keep the words steady, hands clasped underneath the counter as he looked at Gray and smiled. Gray froze, hand almost to his coffee cup, uncertain expression on his face.

"Thank... you?" Gray's words came out in the same thick accent and the statement was almost a question. His gaze flickered between Natsu's eyes and his lips. Natsu frowned.

"You studying?" Natsu's voice was definitely shaky now. Maybe Lucy was wrong about this. Gray didn't look happy _or_ interested, just... scared. Why on earth would he be _scared_ of talking to Natsu? "I'm a student too," Natsu continued. "Art major, do you, um... school?" Oh gods, he was babbling now, and Gray was looking at him like he was going to bolt at any second.

"Good?" Another question. This time Gray looked like he might cry as he backed away slowly. "Sorry." Then he took his coffee and fled out the café doors.

* * *

Gray didn't come back. A week passed, then two weeks, then three, and Nastu kept replaying the conversation in his head, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Did I ask something stupid?" he asked Lucy for the hundredth time, wringing a dishcloth over the sink. "I don't know what I said wrong."

"I don't know," Lucy said gently, pulling shots and tipping them into a blank cup. Natsu hadn't drawn on anything since Gray took off. "Maybe he's got stuff going on. Who knows?" She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "It wasn't you."

Natsu had a hard time believing her. There must have been something he'd said to scare Gray away. Maybe Gray didn't want to talk to him. Maybe Natsu had misread their coffee cup conversations this entire time.

Natsu sighed, closing the café door behind him and lifting his backpack over his shoulder, then heading down the street towards the college. End of semester was coming up soon and he had a pile of projects he needed to finish – even thinking about it made him groan. Turning left at the entrance to the quad, Natsu stared dejectedly at the art building when his eyes flicked over to a familiar figure.

It was Gray. He was leaning against a tree, head tilted back with laughter. The girl in front of him was moving her hands in movements that Natsu didn't recognize. He tilted his head in confusion until Gray returned the gestures, hands flying through the air.

 _Oh._ Natsu was an idiot.

* * *

It was two more weeks before Natsu was able to bump into Gray again. Exam week was in full swing, and students were sprawled out in the quad, celebrating the end of the semester. Nastu was exhausted – hours of painting, sketching, charcoal drawings, essays about the history of art, and art analysis had drained him of energy. Currently he was only functioning thanks to red eye coffees and caffeinated chocolate.

And there was Gray, sitting in the middle of quad, head bent over a book. Natsu's stomach erupted in butterflies, feet frozen to the ground, hands immediately sweaty enough to make him shove his phone in his pocket in an effort to not drop it. Part of him wanted to turn and run – it would be easier to just avoid this situation forever. But he'd promised Lucy he wouldn't be a coward, and he'd spent all those hours...

Natsu picked his way through the quad slowly, stepping over sleeping bodies and stopping in front of Gray. He plopped himself down on the ground next to Gray and poked him to get his attention. Gray looked up and his eyes immediately widened, but Natsu put his hands out placatingly.

 _Sorry,_ he signed hesitantly, placing his fist on his chest. _Me... not know... you Deaf._

Gray's face conveyed a mixture of confusion and hesitant excitement and he set his book down slowly, keeping his eyes on Natsu's face.

 _You know sign language?_ he asked. Natsu frowned and Gray gave him a half-smile, repeating the question slower. His fingers were so graceful and Natsu found himself entranced.

 _Little,_ Natsu replied, feeling clumsy and stupid. _Internet. Wanted... say sorry._ They smiled uncertainly at each other for a moment, then Gray sighed.

 _Sorry,_ he said, echoing Natsu's first sign. _I'm an idiot. I felt dumb._ He kept his signs clear and simple and made sure Natsu understood them before moving on. _I didn't want you to think I was stupid. Some people do._ Gray looked downcast, brushing hair out of his face.

 _Not stupid,_ Natsu said, shaking his head. _I..._ he signed something hesitantly and Gray frowned, so Natsu spelled the word out. Gray nodded, showing him the proper sign, and Natsu copied it. _I miss you._

A pink flush crept across Gray's cheeks and he looked at his shoes, toying with the laces and smiling. Natsu nudged his foot, grinning.

 _Want coffee?_

* * *

At first, Natsu had intended to ask Gray out over their first cup of coffee. However, the little sign language he had picked up from the internet proved to be woefully insufficient for communicating clearly with Gray. Not that Gray got frustrated with him – quite the opposite. He was incredibly patient, even when Natsu had to resort to writing or texting back and forth.

 _A-R-T?_ Natsu spelled out. They were sitting at their usual table in the coffee shop – since they'd started hanging out together a couple of weeks ago, they'd moved to a better spot near the window. Natsu was currently on his break, shoveling a muffin into his mouth while learning new signs from Gray.

 _Art,_ Gray signed, brushing his pinkie over his palm. Natsu attempted to copy the movement but Gray shook his head, then reached out and grabbed Natsu's fingers to put them in the correct position. Natsu's breath scaught at the feeling of Gray's cold hands on his, but Gray didn't seem to notice. _Art,_ he signed again, grinning when Natsu got it right.

"Natsu, break's up!" Lucy called over the counter. Natsu pouted, tipping his head towards the till.

 _You stay?_ he asked Gray, attempting to use the correct facial expressions to communicate a question. _Walk later?_ Natsu wasn't sure how to convey that he meant walking to the library to return their books, but Gray seemed to be able to pick up on what he meant, nodding. _Okay. See you. Finish work._ The smile Gray gave him made his insides feel funny.

"So when are you gonna actually ask him on a date?" Lucy asked as Natsu slipped back into his apron. "It's obvious he likes you. Just kiss already." She mimed pushing their heads together and grinned.

"When I'm better at signing," Natsu said, voice uncertain. Lucy frowned at him, head tilted to one side. It wasn't often that Natsu was insecure. "I just... I mean, I don't want to take him out somewhere and then have him spend the whole time teaching me how to talk to him." He scuffed his sneakers on the floor. "That's not fair. I need to learn more."

"You are _smitten_ ," Lucy gushed, punching Natsu lightly on the arm.

"Yeah," Natsu said softly, looking over the till at Gray with a half-smile on his face. "I am."

* * *

 _Food._ Gray tapped his lips with his closed fingers and Natsu copied the gesture, grinning. It was a Thursday evening and they were sitting in the student arts building, both taking up way too much space on the couches. Only a few other people were there and most of them were fast asleep.

 _I like food,_ Natsu signed, happy that he was able to make that sentence. Gray rolled his eyes and spelled out a new word, then followed it up with the sign.

 _Weekend._ Natsu raised an eyebrow – this bunch of words was quite random. Usually Gray taught him groups of similar words, like family, or days of the week, but tonight they seemed to be all over the place.

 _Movie._ Natsu copied the movement, laughing at the strange shape of the sign. Gray was able to go much quicker now, moving to new words after only showing the sign to Natsu once or twice. _Star._

 _I like that sign,_ Natsu said, grinning. He glanced out the window at the night sky – there were no stars to be seen this far in the city. _Star,_ he repeated, then turned back to Gray. Gray's eyes were wide and soft, and Natsu suddenly felt very vulnerable. He blushed and looked down at his lap but Gray waved to get his attention.

 _One more,_ he signed. _W-A-R. War._

 _Why war?_ Natsu asked, puzzled. Gray gave him a half-smile, sitting up on the couch. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and began signing all the words they'd just practiced, slowly.

 _Weekend. Saturday. Food. Movie. Star. War._

Gray looked expectant, as if Natsu was supposed to figure out the connection between the six signs. He frowned, gesturing for Gray to repeat them. Gray looked mildly exasperated but acquiesced.

 _Don't understand,_ Natsu signed eventually, looking apologetic. He found himself using that sign often. Gray sighed, running his hands over his face. He glanced up at Natsu, giving him a look that was usually present on Lucy's face when Natsu was being particularly dense. _What?_

 _You._ Gray's signs were very clear, and he kept eye contact with Natsu. _You want? Weekend. Saturday. Food. You and me. Movie. Star War._ Natsu's eyes widened in realization and Gray huffed out a laugh, spelling a final word. _D-A-T-E. Date._

 _Date?_ Natsu's eyebrows lifted both in question and uncertainty of the sign and Gray laughed out loud – a sound that made Natsu's stomach flip in funny ways. _You want... date? Me?_

 _Yes._ Gray reached out his foot and nudged Natsu gently with the toe of his sneaker. His cheeks were pink but he kept eye contact with Natsu anyway. _I like you._

Natsu swallowed, the uncertainty of earlier fading away into surprised contentment. Gray felt the same way! Then his face fell.

 _But..._ He frowned, trying to figure out what to say. _Can't sign good. Want learn more, talk better to you._ Gray huffed.

 _It's my choice,_ he replied. _You can sign. You're not perfect, but you try for me._ Natsu's face flushed and he ducked his head in embarrassment. _Most people don't try. I was lonely._ Natsu glanced up at Gray, who looked slightly uncomfortable. _I got coffee at your store because I thought you were cute._

Natsu blinked as Gray spelled the last word and then shyly showed him the sign. He felt slightly overwhelmed; a heady rush flooding through him at the unexpected confession.

 _You're cute too,_ he signed slowly, giving Gray a smile. _Yes. You and me. Date._

* * *

 _Like movie_ _?_

They left the theatre in a crowd of people, walking out into a starless night where the moon hung blunt in the sky. Natsu's hand had been clasped in Gray's before he started signing and he relinquished it reluctantly, already missing the closeness. Halfway through the movie he'd missed a character's name and had taken the opportunity to lean closer to Gray so that he could examine his captioning device. His hand had brushed Gray's and the Gray had immediately grasped it. It had been all Natsu could focus on for the rest of the movie.

Natsu tapped Gray on the arm to get his attention as he signed the question again. Gray nodded enthusiastically, fingers tapping his palm. Natsu had figured out that this was Gray's reaction when he wanted to sign quickly, but needed to keep the pace slow for Natsu. _Prefer text?_ he asked.

 _No,_ Gray signed, shaking his head. Sometimes it was easier for him to text with Nastu, especially when Natsu didn't understand the concept in sign language yet. _Fine. Excited._ He grinned.

Natsu's cheeks flushed as they made their way out of the crowd of people and back onto the main road that led up to the campus. The wind had picked up and was blowing Gray's hair from his face, and Natsu felt something in his chest tighten when Gray's dark eyes met his.

 _I had fun,_ Natsu signed, eyes intermittently flicking to the sidewalk to keep from walking into something. _Learned more new words._ He paused for a moment, then gave Gray a shy smile. _I start class. Next week._ Gray looked puzzled. _Sign language class,_ Natsu clarified. Gray's eyes widened and he nearly walked into a newspaper stand, saved only by Natsu's hand on his arm.

 _Really?_ He looked genuinely shocked and Natsu felt dismayed that the gesture was clearly unexpected. _Nobody... has learned for me before._ He must have seen Natsu's disquieted expression and he shook his head, waving away the concern. _My mom and dad sign, my brother too. I meant friends._ He gave Natsu an uncertain look, then continued. _Friends or... more._

Natsu was about to reply but they had reached the campus, where the path was poorly and sporadically lit. As they moved into a patch of darkness Gray reached out and snagged Natsu's hand, twining their fingers together and pulling him close. Natsu stumbled a little, shoulder bumping Gray's, then sighed at the feeling of their palms pressing together.

It was strange not to be able to communicate in the dark. Natsu was a talker – Lucy usually tuned him out after a minute or two of him babbling. But with Gray, each word was though out, precise, contemplated. It made their conversations hold more weight, Natsu thought.

Gray's fingers drew patterns over Natsu's knuckles as they walked – soft, feather-light caresses that sent little electric shocks straight to Natsu's stomach. He exhaled sharply, dragging his thumb over Gray's. The dark-haired boy let out an audible contented sigh and Natsu's heart jumped, realizing with a start that Gray didn't know he'd heard it.

He repeated the motion as he walked, eventually sliding their hands far enough apart that he could drag his fingers up and down Gray's palm. He traced each of Gray's fingers, touch feather-light, and Gray continued to make soft sounds that made Natsu's face flush hot. How was it possible that hand-holding was this sensual?

It didn't take long to reach the dorms, where Natsu tugged Gray into a patch of light next to the building. He squeezed Gray's hand, then regretfully let go. Gray looked at him with a mix of affection and bewilderment.

 _You're... loud,_ Natsu signed bashfully, feeling his cheeks flood with heat. Gray looked mortified and moved to reply, but Natsu shook his head. _No, I like. I... feel good._ He glanced up at Gray again and licked his lips nervously. _I really like you._

Gray's cheeks were pink and his eyes flicked to Natsu's lips. Natsu could see him swallow hard and he shifted a little before replying.

 _I really like you too,_ Gray said, then pushed his bangs out of his eyes. _I had fun. Want to do it again?_ Natsu nodded enthusiastically, tucking his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. _Good._ They stood there awkwardly for a moment, neither looking at the other, then both raised their hands at the same time. Gray shook his head and laughed, gesturing for Natsu to go first.

 _You want..._ he hesitated, then took a small step closer to Gray. He could smell Gray's shampoo and he exhaled shakily. It was harder to sign like this, so close together, but Natsu made it work. _Can I_ _kiss you?_ Gray's eyes widened and then he smiled, reaching up and running his hand over Natsu's cheek.

He didn't sign anything but instead pulled Natsu in, tipping his head up and bringing their lips together. Natsu exhaled, running a hand through Gray's hair and curling shaky fingers around his hip. Gray made a soft noise into Natsu's mouth and Natsu responded by pushing him gently backwards until he was leaning against the dorm wall.

All the anticipation and hesitation and nervousness in Natsu's body suddenly dissipated, replaced by a deep contentment and a warm sensation that spread from his stomach up to his chest. He pressed himself closer to Gray, tilting his head and relishing the moan that spilled from the other boy's lips. His left hand drifted slightly underneath Gray's shirt, thumb brushing against the soft skin of his hip, while the other cupped his cheek.

Gray responded enthusiastically, bringing both hands up to the center of Natsu's back and pulling him in. The soft sounds he was making into Natsu's mouth were increasing in volume, sending sparks down Natsu's spine, but he pulled away regretfully.

 _Loud,_ he signed with a grin on his face, tapping Gray's lower lip. _Other people hear._ Gray's already pink cheeks turned even redder but before he could drop his gaze to the ground Natsu leaned in for one more soft kiss. _You... good. Kissing._ He grinned.

Gray shifted from foot to foot, looking hesitant, then looked up and met Natsu's eyes. _I like you so much. Not only..._ he gestured between them and made a sign that clearly insinuated being intimate. _I want to spend more time with you._

Natsu's stomach did several quick somersaults and he felt his heart fluttering in his chest. It had been so long since he'd felt even close to this way about someone else, and he found his hand shaking as he moved it up to rest on Gray's shoulder.

 _I really, really like you,_ he signed, one-handed, hoping Gray understood. _Want... more dates. And kissing._ Gray blushed again and smiled.

 _You... want to come up?_ He gestured to the pattern of lit and unlit windows above him. Natsu's eyes widened but the grin didn't disappear from his face. _My..._ he spelled the word "roommate" and quickly showed Natsu the sign. _My roommate is gone for the week. Nobody to listen._ He swallowed, looking uncertain.

 _Yes,_ Natsu signed, leaning in for another kiss. He slid his free hand underneath Gray's and signed it again for emphasis. _Yes, yes, yes._


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, asshole."

A boy with bleach-blonde hair leaned against the doorway to Gray's parents' house, staring at Gray with a smirk on his face. Natsu frowned, glancing over at his boyfriend and expecting to see irritation. Instead, Gray's face conveyed only fond exasperation.

"Fuck you," he replied out loud. Natsu was surprised – Gray never used his voice. He'd told Nastu a while ago that he'd never learned to speak and never wanted to. Occasionally he would call out something resembling Natsu's name if he needed his attention, or thank someone at a restaurant, but that was as much as Natsu had ever heard him talk. _I assume you called me something rude?_ Gray added in sign language.

The other boy made a gesture that Natsu was unfamiliar with and Gray snorted, grabbing him and pulling him into a hug. Then he tilted his head toward Natsu.

 _This is my boyfriend._ He spelled Natsu's name and added the name sign he'd given him – the letter "N" tapping his chin in a sign similar to the one for "food". The blonde boy raised an eyebrow as Gray turned to Natsu and continued. _This is my twin brother, Lyon. He's a dick._ Natsu tried not to let his surprise show – he knew that Gray had a twin, but they looked nothing alike.

"Nice to meet you," Lyon said, reaching out and shaking Natsu's hand. Gray smacked his brother's arm, frowning.

 _He can sign, idiot._ Lyon raised an eyebrow and looked at Natsu again. Natsu could feel heat creeping into his cheeks – he'd only been here for two minutes and he was already panicking. Meeting Gray's family hadn't seemed so daunting from the safety of the car.

 _Mom's in the kitchen,_ Lyon said, gesturing for the two of them to step into the house. Gray kicked off his shoes and headed down the hall.

Natsu unlaced his own shoes and looked around, impressed. The house was very open – no walls other than a hip-high barrier between the dining room and kitchen. Everything was impeccably neat – magazines stacked in tidy piles, all the furniture lined up at even angles, the long dining room table set with expensive-looking plates.

The lights went off and on again and Natsu looked over to where Gray was flicking the switch to get his attention. He gestured for Natsu to join him in the kitchen where a dark-haired woman was taking something out of the oven. It smelled incredible, and Natsu could feel his stomach begin to growl. He'd been so nervous about this dinner that he hadn't eaten lunch, and he was regretting it.

Gray pulled the woman into a hug as soon as she set down the casserole dish and she smiled, squeezing him tightly and then leaning back to examine his face. She brushed his bangs out of his face and shook her head fondly.

 _You need a haircut,_ she signed. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek, then turned to Natsu. _You must be Natsu._ She slowed her pace a little for him and he gave her a grateful smile. _I'm so glad you were able to make it! I'm Gray's mom, Mika._

 _Nice to meet you,_ Natsu signed, letting Mika pull him into a hug. _Thank you for inviting me. It smells wonderful._ She smiled, shooing Gray out of the way to check the casserole dish.

 _Your dad is in the garden,_ she said to Gray. _Do you mind bringing him inside? Supper will be ready soon._ She turned back to Natsu. _I hope you like-_ she signed something Natsu wasn't familiar with, and when he frowned she repeated it, spelling out the word. _Lasagna._

 _I like all food,_ Natsu replied, grinning. Mika squeezed his arm and then pointed for him to follow Gray. Natsu made his way through the dining area and stepped outside through a set of double French doors.

The yard was immaculately maintained – green grass was mowed in a geometric pattern, a fountain in the corner trickled water into a small pond full of koi fish. Flowers of different shapes and colors made up an intricate garden along the back fence, and sitting on a bench in the center of the blooms was a man who was clearly Gray's father.

He sat with his head tipped back, basking in the warm rays of the setting sun. A book lay open on his lap, and his fingertips rested over what appeared to be a blank page. As Natsu moved closer, he realized that the book was written in Braille.

Gray sat down on the bench next to his father, placing a hand on his shoulder. The man turned to him, letting Gray tuck a hand under his.

 _Hey dad,_ Gray signed, keeping his hand under his father's as he added his name sign – the letter "G" sliding across the scar on his forehead. The man's face broke out into a grin and he pulled Gray into a hug, kissing him on the cheek. His fingers brushed the hair at the back of Gray's neck and he shook his head admonishingly.

 _You need a haircut,_ he signed. Gray rolled his eyes, drawing a circle on the back of his father's hand at the same time to indicate the gesture. _Are you here for dinner?_

 _Yes, and I brought my boyfriend._ The man raised his eyes.

 _Boyfriend?_ Natsu shifted nervously behind Gray, and started when the man's pale eyes immediately flicked to near where he was standing. Gray's father smiled, then turned back to his son. _I can't believe you finally found someone who will put up with you._ Gray snorted and tapped a finger on his father's knuckles.

 _Very funny. His name is Natsu._ Gray let his father feel the shape of each letter under his fingers, moving his hand in an affirmative gesture when it was spelled back to him.

 _Can he sign?_ The man asked. Gray moved his hand in a nodding motion again, then gestured for Natsu to step closer. He did, hesitantly, settling onto the other side of the bench and tapping Gray's father's shoulder to let him know he was there.

 _He's still learning, and he's never done tactile before._ Gray gave Natsu a comforting smile and Natsu swallowed heavily. _Be nice._

 _I'm always nice,_ his father replied, and Gray repeated the eye roll movement on the back of his hand.

Natsu wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and swallowed nervously. He and Gray had practiced this at home, but being here in person felt very different. He would want to impress _any_ partner's parents, but this time he felt like he needed to prove himself in a different way.

Gray took Natsu's wrist and brought it next to his own arm, then slid his father's hand over. His palm was soft and cool, and he squeezed Natsu's fingers gently.

 _Hi,_ Natsu signed shyly, very aware of the extra weight on his hand. _I'm Natsu. It's nice to meet you. Your garden is beautiful._ The signs came easier to him now, after two months of classes and practicing with Gray every day. He was still self-conscious of how choppy his movements were, though.

 _You as well. I'm Silver._ His name turned out to be the same as the actual sign for 'silver'. _I hear you have the misfortune of dating my son._ He tipped his head in Gray's direction and grinned while Gray looked offended. Natsu laughed, and remembered to trickle his fingers over Silver's wrist so he knew what was happening. _My wife tells me the garden is beautiful, so I'll have to believe the both of you._

Natsu flushed red as he realized his mistake, but before he could apologize for the choice of compliment, Silver waved his hand.

 _I do enjoy sitting out here. The flowers smell wonderful._ Natsu swallowed again, feeling the embarrassment ebb a little. _Do you go to the same school as Gray?_

 _Yes,_ Natsu replied. _I'm studying art._ The initial awkwardness of Silver's hands over his was starting to fade, and he tried to put more confidence into his signs. _I'm working on a..._ he glanced over at Gray, uncertain of the sign for "comic", but Gray gestured for him to spell it out to Silver. The man frowned at the word for a moment, then gave Natsu the sign. _Thank you. My friend and I make a comic online._

They chatted for several minutes, the conversation flowing more smoothly the longer they talked. Natsu felt the tension in his chest slowly dissolving, replaced by a warm feeling of acceptance.

"Natsu!" The silent reverie of their conversation was interrupted by a shout from Lyon. Natsu glanced up and saw him waving from the doorway. "Tell them it's suppertime!"

"Oh, uh... yeah, sure." Natsu turned back to Silver and relayed the message. Gray glanced back at the deck to see Lyon heading back into the house and he laughed. He tapped Silver's shoulder and took his left hand, signing quickly.

 _Lyon's happy he finally has another hearing person to talk to._ Silver laughed and shook his head. _Want me to help you inside?_

 _I believe you're interrupting, Gray,_ Silver signed, nudging Natsu's hand and smiling. _I was talking to Natsu, who can help me to the dining room. If he doesn't mind?_ Natsu glanced over at Gray, who gave him a look that said that it was up to him.

 _Yeah,_ he signed after a second. _But I've never done it before._ Silver smiled broadly, squeezing Natsu's hand and standing up.

 _Gray has walked me into many doorways,_ he said. Gray sighed, throwing his head back in mock exasperation. _Letting children guide you around the house is a bad idea._ Natsu let the man slide a hand under his elbow before he began walking towards the house. He was hyperaware of anything on the ground that might trip up Silver, so much that he missed Gray signing to him. Natsu waved for him to start over.

 _Dad started losing his vision when we were about twelve,_ Gray said, walking backwards through the yard. _Lyon and I had no idea what we were doing – of course we walked him into things._

 _I know you're talking about me,_ Silver signed with his free hand, squeezing Natsu's elbow gently as they made their way into the house. Natsu guided Silver's hand to the back of his chair and the man nodded gratefully, settling into his place.

Gray sat down and slid his hand back under Silver's. _One of us interprets for dad during dinner,_ he explained. _My turn tonight._ Natsu nodded as Lyon plopped down next to him and Mika slid into her chair next to Gray.

Dinner was delicious. Natsu quickly realized that one benefit of signing was that he could talk with his mouth full, shoveling down the lasagna with one hand and answering questions with the other. Gray had to remind Mika to slow down several times, especially since Natsu found one-handed signing difficult to understand, but Lyon occasionally translated for him, which helped. Natsu was impressed by Gray's ability to eat, interpret for Silver with one hand, and contribute to the conversation with the other.

 _That was wonderful,_ Natsu said to Mika after they finished. The nervousness he'd felt earlier was completely gone now – Gray's family had been so welcoming and patient with him. He'd learned several new signs over the course of dinner as well. As Lyon began clearing the dishes, Natsu felt himself suppressing a yawn.

 _Home time?_ Gray asked, rubbing Natsu's arm. Silver had moved to the couch and was talking with Mika now, faster than Natsu could understand. He caught a few signs here and there, but their fingers and hands moved in patterns that made his head spin. _I know it's a lot. You did great._

 _Thank you for inviting me,_ Natsu said again as they put their shoes on. Mika smiled warmly and pulled Natsu into another hug. Silver stood beside her and Natsu ran his fingers down the man's arm before taking his hand, more comfortable now than when they were in the garden.

 _It was nice to meet you,_ he signed, fingers clumsy with exhaustion. _Thank you._

 _You're welcome back any time,_ Silver replied, squeezing Natsu's hands tightly. _Gray is lucky to have you._ Natsu blushed, bringing Silver's hand back to his wife's elbow before stepping back towards Gray.

"Lemme know if you wanna learn the really good signs," Lyon said, grinning. When Gray frowned at him, Lyon repeated himself in sign. Gray rolled his eyes, hugging his brother and signing something that went over Natsu's head.

Gray grabbed Natsu's hand in his, twining their fingers together as they made their way down the front walk toward the car. The pattern of Gray's fingertips against the back of his hand told Natsu everything he needed to know about Gray's mood, and he didn't need to look at his boyfriend's face to see his smile.

* * *

 _They really liked you,_ Gray said when they got back to his dorm. Rogue was nowhere to be seen and Gray had scribbled GO AWAY in large letters on the whiteboard outside the room while Natsu wasn't looking.

 _You think so?_ Natsu's posture was uncertain. _I liked them. They're all nice._

 _Except Lyon,_ Gray grinned, grabbing Natsu's hands and pulling him into an embrace. He kissed Natsu's forehead, pouting when the Natsu stepped back from him.

 _Even Lyon,_ Natsu corrected. _How... why's he..._

 _Not Deaf?_ Gray asked. Natsu nodded, blushing. _No idea. My whole family's Deaf. Grandparents, aunts, uncles. Lyon's the only hearing one._ Natsu frowned, worrying his lower lip with his teeth.

 _Isn't... was he..._ he huffed in exasperation. Gray tugged him down to the bed, then sat beside him, cross-legged.

 _Lonely? Sometimes, probably._ He pushed his hair out of his eyes again. _Maybe I do need a haircut,_ he conceded. Natsu snorted. Gray sighed, rubbing his face. _Most Deaf kids are alone in their families. Lyon's the opposite. But we've always been best friends. We grew up with the same language, but he went to a regular school while I went to a Deaf one._ He yawned, stretching his arms over his head. _And he's not actually a dick. We just like to tease each other._

 _Your dad does too,_ Natsu added, thinking of the little good-natured barbs and jabs that Silver had made at Lyon and Gray's expense. _He's fun._

 _You really impressed him._ Gray reached over to Natsu and tugged him closer. _People are usually intimidated, they don't get how to communicate with him. I only ever brought one person home before you, and... it didn't go well._ He hesitated, thinking of that disastrous relationship. _I'm really..._

Natsu cocked his head, brow furrowed in concern as Gray trailed off.

 _What's wrong?_ He grabbed Gray's hand and squeezed it, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles.

 _Nothing,_ Gray reassured him, one-handed. _I just... I really wanted tonight to go well._ His cheeks flushed pink. _It did and they loved you and I'm really..._ he reached out, touching Natsu's cheek gently and leaning in for a kiss. Natsu responded enthusiastically, bringing his hand up to Gray's hair and pulling him closer.

Gray reluctantly broke away, putting a hand on Natsu's chest. Natsu's cheeks were flushed and he looked up at Gray with want and hesitation in his eyes.

 _I want..._ Natsu stopped, staring at his hands for a moment. _I don't know the signs. For what I want to... to do to you. With you._ Gray's breath caught in his throat and he tipped Natsu's chin up so they were making eye contact.

 _Of course you don't know them,_ he replied, smiling a little. _They don't teach those kinds of signs in first level ASL._ Natsu laughed, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck. _Do you... is that what you want?_

The farthest they'd gone so far was grinding against each other in Natsu's dorm, kissing feverishly and hoping Sting wouldn't get home and walk in on them shirtless. At first it had felt strange to Natsu – the other two relationships he'd been in had quickly progressed to sex, but this, with Gray, felt right. He needed the words to talk about it, first.

 _Yes,_ he replied, leaning in to kiss Gray again. _I want... you._ Gray nodded, looking pensive.

 _What... do you want to know?_ Natsu blushed furiously, covering his face with his hands. Gray reached out and poked him. _If we wanna have sex –_ he spelled out the word and then showed Natsu the sign – _you need to know how to talk to me about it. You know I can't read lips._

 _I know,_ Natsu said reluctantly. He licked his lips, then sat up straight and looked Gray in the eyes. _How do I sign b-l-o-w-j-o-b?_

* * *

 _P-please,_ Gray signed, reaching down and squeezing Natsu's shoulder as Natsu toyed with the zipper of Gray's pants. _Please. Want._ His signs were sloppy and erratic and Natsu grinned, moving up to kiss him again. As he leaned up he pressed his hand against the bulge in Gray's jeans. Gray jerked his hips up and groaned, realizing he was being loud when Natsu's lip twitched up in a smile. _Sorry._ It was hard to sign so close, but he managed.

 _Don't apologize,_ Natsu replied, leaning down and biting his lip. _I like it._ He tipped Gray's head to the side, raising his eyebrows in a question and getting a nod. Natsu placed his lips behind Gray's ear, then trailed soft kisses down his neck and to his throat. He trailed his hands down Gray's chest, enjoying the soft gasps and moans, then tugged at the hem of Gray's shirt with one hand. _Okay?_ He signed with the other.

It was a bit different to do this with the lights on, but Natsu didn't mind. If it meant he could see every expression that flickered across Gray's face, he was okay with it.

Gray lifted his arms in response to Natsu's question and let Natsu tug the t-shirt over his head, exhaling when gentle hands ran across his chest. Natsu's fingers trailed across Gray's collarbone and down his arms, hands coming to rest lightly around Gray's wrists. Gray shook his head and Natsu pulled back.

 _Don't pin my hands,_ Gray explained, smiling softly at the embarrassed flush that colored Natsu's cheeks. _It's okay. Come here._ He tugged at Natsu's shirt and the other boy pulled it off, throwing it to the floor. Gray hummed appreciatively, running his fingertips over Natsu's chest and stomach. He could see that Natsu's mouth was open, and he hoped that the sounds he was making were good ones.

Natsu dropped down and began to kiss down Gray's chest, trailing his fingers over Gray's ribs as his lips made their way to his hipbones. He glanced up at Gray, signing a quick _okay?_ as he played with the button of his jeans. Gray nodded, running his fingers through Natsu's hair and exhaling sharply as the other boy slid the zipper down his jeans, then shimmied them over his hips. His underwear followed shortly and soon he was lying naked on the bed beneath Natsu.

 _You good?_ Natsu asked, one-handed, other hand gently stroking Gray's thigh. He shivered and jerked his hips up, nodding.

 _Not fair,_ he managed, letting out a moan as Natsu's fingers trailed dangerously inward. _You have... pants._

Natsu grinned and stood up slowly, unbuckling his belt and slowly pushing his pants and underwear down his hips. Gray felt a deep flush run up his chest and into his cheeks as he stared at Natsu, and he licked his lips, suddenly breathless. He was glad that Rogue had agreed to stay at Natsu's with Sting tonight.

 _Better?_ Natsu asked, leaning back over Gray and kissing just above his bellybutton. Gray made a deep, low sound in his throat and Natsu shivered. Fuck, the noises he made... he looked up to see Gray staring at him with a look so intense it made his breath catch in his throat. _I like those sounds. I want to hear more._

Then he dove back down and took Gray into his mouth, delighting in the loud groans and gasps that resulted. The louder Gray was, the harder Natsu got, and he didn't care if the rest of the dorm heard what they were up to. All he wanted to was to drag more of those sounds out from Gray's lips.

"Na..." Gray grunted after a minute, sliding his fingers into Natsu's hair and tugging gently. Natsu pressed a soft kiss to Gray's hip, then moved up his chest to his lips, kissing him deeply. Gray moaned into his mouth, tightening his grip on Natsu's hair and digging the fingers of his other hand into Natsu's hip.

Natsu pulled back from the kiss reluctantly, wanting to make sure his signs were clear. _I want to make love to you._ Gray had shown him several signs, and had made a clear distinction between 'sex' and 'making love' - something that Natsu appreciated. This meant more to him than any time he'd done it before and he wanted Gray to know that.

 _Please,_ Gray replied, dropping his hand from Natsu's hair to his own chest. His eyes were wide and pleading. _I have... condoms. Lube. Top drawer._ He gestured to the side table next to the bed and Natsu leaned over, heat flushing through his cheeks and throat. Gray leaned up and pressed a kiss to Natsu's stomach while he was stretched over him, causing Natsu to shudder.

 _Have you done this before?_ Natsu asked as he settled back between Gray's legs, signing with one hand while he stroked Gray's hip with the other. Gray blushed and nodded, letting out a loud sigh as Natsu leaned over and kissed him again, other hand trailing down the back of his thigh until his fingers were teasing against Gray's entrance. He tensed a little, then exhaled hard and relaxed into the sensation, letting Natsu distract him with lips and teeth and soft kisses down his neck.

"Ahhh... mmmnnn," Natsu growled at the sounds he was pulling from Gray, whose eyes were closed and head was thrown back on the pillow. Gray's hand was tight around Natsu's hip, fingers digging into the skin as he shivered and pressed against Natsu's fingers. "Na..." His voice was rough and deep and Natsu moved back up to kiss him again, trying to capture those sounds with his lips.

After a few minutes he sat up again, slowly, and brushed a thumb over Gray's cheek. Gray opened his eyes, breathing heavily and licking his lips.

 _You're beautiful,_ Natsu signed, running a hand up and down Gray's side. _Are you ready?_ Gray nodded, pulling Natsu tight against him with both hands on his hips.

Natsu was certain that the entire dorm floor knew what they were up to now. Both him and Gray's moans were deep and noisy as he pushed into his boyfriend. He dropped his forehead to Gray's shoulder and shuddered at the sensation. It had been so long since he'd done this, and Gray felt better than anyone else he'd had.

"Fuck," he whispered, rocking his hips forward and shivering at Gray's heavy breath in his ear. He pushed himself up a little on his elbow so he could lock eyes with Gray, whose cheeks were flushed red. _Good?_ Natsu signed awkwardly, and Gray nodded.

 _You?_ He looked hesitant for a moment and Natsu nodded, sighing happily and resting their foreheads together.

Gray moved a hand up to the side of Natsu's neck and gently trailed his fingers over the front of the Natsu's throat. He raised his eyebrows in a question and Natsu looked confused for a moment, then grinned, pushing his hips forward and groaning. The vibration under Gray's fingers was enough encouragement to have him return the gesture, placing a hand on Natsu's lower back and tugging him forward.

After that there were no room for signs, just panting and moaning and grasping at hair and hips. Gray kept his hand over Natsu's throat, feeling each sound he made and returning them in kind. A tightness spread through Natsu's chest and down to his stomach as he rocked forward, fingers tangled in Gray's dark hair, lips pressed to his collarbone.

"Fuck," he whispered, unable to help himself. "Fuck, god, you feel so good." Gray's fingers tightened momentarily on his throat and he let out a laugh, then sat up a bit so he could see his boyfriend's face. _You... good. Feel good._ He dropped both his hands to Gray's hips and pulled him closer, groaning at the sensation balling in his stomach. _S-soon,_ he signed sloppily.

 _Me too,_ Gray replied, tugging him down for a kiss as they thrust against each other. Gray could feel the frantic vibrations in Natsu's throat growing deeper and closer together, and he was sure the sounds he was making matched that. Natsu reached down between them to stroke Gray and he cried out, throwing his head back onto the bed and coming suddenly, back arching and fingers tightening around Natsu's neck.

Natsu let out a deep, rough growl and tipped his head forward, hips stuttering against Gray as he panted and collapsed onto one elbow. Their chests pressed together, shuddering with deep breaths and residual moans as they both came down from their highs.

After a moment Natsu sat up shakily, pressing a hand to Gray's hip and sliding out of him. He winced at the expression on Gray's face and signed a quick _sorry_ before standing and tossing the condom in the garbage. Then he nudged Gray over in the tiny bed until his Gray's back was pressed against the wall.

 _You're amazing,_ Natsu signed, hands still shaky, grin plastered across his face. Gray returned the expression, eyes soft as he pulled Natsu in for a kiss.

 _Did we –_ he spelled out the word 'traumatize' and showed Natsu the sign. _Did we traumatize the neighbors?_ Natsu snorted, shaking his head.

 _I don't care,_ he replied, tugging the pillow down for the both of them to share. _I like it. You... good?_ Gray laughed, grabbing Natsu's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

 _Perfect. Sleepy._ He gestured to the lamp next to the bed, but before Natsu could reach for it, he added, _you're amazing too. You make me happy._

 _You make me happy too,_ Natsu replied, kissing the tip of Gray's nose. Then he leaned over and flicked off the lamp, pulling Gray until his chest was pressing against the Gray' back. They lay for several moments, breaths evening out until Natsu was almost certain Gray was asleep. It was strange to not be able to talk after the lights were out, but Natsu had learned to appreciate the soft sounds Gray made while making himself comfortable.

He felt Gray move a hand underneath his and he frowned, realizing he was signing something. Frowning, Natsu felt the edges of the sign, trying to figure out what Gray was trying to say. He froze for a moment as he recognized it – _I love you._ They hadn't said it to each other yet, but Natsu recognized the sign from one of his classes.

He huffed out a soft laugh, pressing a kiss to the nape of Gray's neck. The day had been a whirlwind, but every piece of it was settled comfortably under his skin. He squeezed the arm around Gray's waist tightly, then moved his hand into the same shape and pressed it under Gray's fingers.

 _I love you too._


End file.
